


Rose Apothecary

by pombaloo



Series: Adventures with a 2 year old [5]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:14:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29965521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pombaloo/pseuds/pombaloo
Summary: AU – During their time in Schitt’s Creek, Moira finds herself pregnant, much to her and Johnny's surprise. The little tyke, Charlotte (Lottie for short) is now just over 2 years old. David has as little involvement with the new addition to his family as possible. What would he gain from spending time with her?
Relationships: David Rose & Moira Rose, Patrick - Relationship, Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: Adventures with a 2 year old [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158263
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Rose Apothecary

It was a usually quiet day at the Rose Apothecary. Patrick was in the back sorting out the stock, giving David the opportunity to attend to the store’s aesthetic. Hearing the door chime, David was shocked to see his mother entering, carrying his smallest sister and a large bag. Not the sight he wanted to see.

‘Has someone died?’ David questioned their appearance. He was very clear with Moira that Lottie was not allowed in the store and wondered what had caused this breaking of the rules.

‘Ew, no David,’ Moira frowned at him. ‘I am allowing you the pleasure of looking after your little sister this afternoon!’ She announced brightly.

‘That’s a real quick no. I thought Alexis was meant to be looking after her?’ David glanced at his little sister, there was no way he was taking care of her for the afternoon.

Moira was surprised that he had picked up on Alexis’ failed agreement. ‘Alexis has unfortunately had to cancel on me at the last minute. She had ‘a thing’ come up, an exam or some unforeseen circumstance.’ Moira had been too busy panicking at her disastrous news to listen to what her excuse was. ‘You David, are my only hope in being able to attend the Jazzagals’ rehearsal and you do know that they will be greatly disadvantaged without their most illustrious member.’ Moira put Lottie and the bag down. Lottie stood clinging to her mother’s leg, very aware that she was not allowed in David’s store and that her presence was not wanted.

‘Can you not miss one rehearsal? You seem to have a never ending supply of rehearsals,’ David remarked, still fiddling with the arrangement of the products, trying to ignore the disturbing sight of his little sister in the store.

‘It is the only social aspect of my life that has not been stripped away from me, David. I will not miss my rehearsal,’ Moira demanded, causing David to give her his full attention.

‘Why can’t Dad look after her?’ He placed his hands on his hips.

‘He is visiting a potential new motel with Roland and Stevie.’ Moira knew that she should be overjoyed at the exciting nature of her husband’s appointment, but it had become the root of all the day’s problems and had caused her to become rather disgruntled about it.

‘What about Jocelyn?’ David enquired hopefully.

‘She is a necessity for our rehearsals, David.’ She frowned at his ignorance.

‘Twyla?’ David questioned, less hopefully.

‘Is also a Jazzagal. I will not dump my daughter on any random stranger David.’ Moira raised her voice to the required amount.

‘I am not exactly sure we could call Twyla a stranger,’ David stated.

‘You are my only hope, David,’ Moira half shouted. Lottie clung onto Moira’s leg tighter. ‘Look, you are upsetting your sister,’ Moira warned, stroking Lottie’s head comfortingly. She would never be able to leave with Lottie clinging on to her this tightly.

‘You are the one who is shouting,’ David pointed out, raising his voice to match as Patrick appeared from the back.

‘Hi Mrs Rose, I thought I heard your voice,’ Patrick smiled, not wanting to get in the middle of whatever Moira and David were having out.

‘Sweet, sweet Patrick,’ Moira smiled back at him, ‘You remember my daughter? Charlotte Rose,’ she picked Lottie up to point her out. ‘You and David will be looking after her while I attend my Jazzagal rehearsal. I have a bag of toys and no one else to turn to. If I did have anyone else to turn to, then trust me, I would not be doing this.’

‘I am sure that David and I are perfectly capable of looking after Lottie while you have your rehearsal, Mrs Rose.’ Patrick rubbed David’s shoulders and nodded forcefully at him, trying to persuade him. He was ready to rise to the challenge and prove to Moira that they did not need to be her last resort when it came to childcare options.

‘Thank you Patrick, I knew you would be understanding. Lottie knows not to touch anything and to be on her best behaviour.’ Moira managed to put Lottie down, despite Lottie’s best efforts to stay attached to her mother. ‘I will return with such haste that you will barely miss me, darling.’ Moira tried to comfort Lottie. She kissed her bye and left. She was unhappy at leaving her daughter in this state, but needs must.

Lottie stood near the entrance, staring at David and Patrick, unsure of what move she would be allowed to make.

‘Well David, it would seem that you have scared your sister into silence and possibly submission, so I am going to continue sorting out our new stock.’ Patrick left before David could stop him.

David watched his little sister. Feeling her brother’s heavy glare on her, Lottie walked around to the other side of the table, out of his view. David followed slowly, like he was stalking a wild animal, his eyes never averting from her. Lottie continued almost tip toeing around the store, being extra careful to not touch anything, conscious of her brother’s presence behind.

Her gaze drifted to the soap that the Motel used. ‘That Momo soap,’ she said as she pointed up at it.

‘Yes,’ David replied, he wasn’t sure if she had attempted to say Mommy or Moira, but he wasn’t going to ask. He was not versed in the language of Lottie and did not intend on learning. She could talk to him when she had learnt to speak properly.

Lottie carried on looking at the products on display with David watching her. She noticed a circular tub of cream that she thought she recognised, but it was too high up for her to tell. A wooden crate stood near it, so she pulled herself up on it to get a closer look. David went to stop her but was intrigued by her actions, she wasn’t technically touching any of the products by climbing on the crate.

‘Mommy cream,’ Lottie said as she pointed at the cream, now convinced that she did in fact recognise it. ‘Mommy put on my hand and Mommy hand. It smell nice.’

‘Yes, our mother does use that cream. I did not realise she used it on you too. You can get down now.’ He gestured at her getting off the crate, but did not extend a hand to help her. Lottie sat down on the crate and then slipped off the edge. She was used to her siblings not helping her. The force of her sliding off the crate, caused the crate to gently hit into the table, knocking over some of the products.

‘Oopsies. Sorry David,’ Lottie quickly said, not knowing what had happened, but thinking it was her fault. She looked up as David rearranged the fallen mess.

Lottie’s attention was caught by the bottles of wine in the fridge. ‘Mommy drink that,’ she pointed at the wine.

‘Mommy drinks what?’ He frowned at his copying of Lottie’s speech and then moved to stand next to her to see what she was looking at.

‘That.’ Lottie pointed again at the wine.

David scanned the contents of the fridge, trying to find an item that was drinkable that was not the wine. He did not believe that Moira would sit and drink with her two year old present, even that must be beyond her.

Unable to find anything else in the fridge, he took a bottle of wine out and showed it to his sister. ‘She drinks this?’

‘Yes,’ Lottie smiled, pleased with herself for recognising it.

‘Aren’t you asleep when Mommy drinks this?’ He questioned.

‘No, Mommy drink it in Mommy mug when I play.’ Lottie told him proudly. She felt like she had redeemed herself from her prior incident.

‘Wait a minute,’ David was taken aback at this new information overload. In general, he barely understood what his youngest sister was saying, but he hoped that this was not the current case. ‘Mommy drinks this?’ he showed the bottle to her again, ‘in her mug, while you are playing? She isn’t drinking tea? Do you know what tea is?’

‘Tea from kettle,’ Lottie stated. She was familiar with the noisy appliance, she liked watching the water bubble up. ‘Mommy drink tea and that in Mommy mug,’ she pointed at the bottle in his hand.

‘And where is Daddy when Mommy is drinking this?’ He gritted his teeth as he used Lottie’s versions of his parents’ names, the urgency to obtain the information was more important. His sister was suddenly a lot more useful than he ever thought she could be and at least no one could hear him say it.

‘At my Momo,’ Lottie replied.

David was impressed that they had gone so long with him being able to translate his sister’s words, but now he was definitely stuck. ‘And what is my momo?’

‘My Momo!’ Lottie repeated, how did he not know where they lived.

‘And where is my momo?’ David thought the rephrasing might help. He had no idea what she was saying and was getting agitated quickly.

‘My Momo!’ Lottie almost shouted, frustrated with her brother.

David gave up and called Patrick. ‘Tell me what she is saying,’ he instructed as he told Lottie to repeat herself, much to her annoyance.

‘I think it could be the Motel?’ Patrick suggested. He remembered Lottie saying something similar before, and where else would Johnny have been in this situation.

‘Yes, my Momo,’ Lottie agreed.

‘Well how was I meant to get that?’ David replied, perplexed. ‘So Dad works at the Motel while Mom drinks wine and looks after you or Dad drinks wine with Mom while they look after you?’

Lottie gave him a confused look, there were too many words in there for her to understand.

Patrick tried, ‘Is your Daddy with your Mommy when your Mommy drinks this?’ he pointed at the bottle.

‘No, Daddy at my Momo,’ Lottie replied after working out what he meant, how many times did she need to tell them.

‘I think she’s saying that Mr Rose was working at the Motel,’ Patrick informed David.

‘Yes, thank you, I was getting that,’ David snapped back. He rubbed Patrick’s arm, ‘I’ve got it from here.’ Patrick left to continue sorting out the stock.

‘Well we have something to talk to Mommy about when she comes and gets you,’ David announced, excited to have some ammunition against his mother. ‘Come with me Lottie.’ He pushed his sister gently by the shoulders, directing her to the bag of toys, which he picked up, and took them both behind the desk. ‘You will play here, silently, out of sight. Understood?’

Lottie nodded, not wanting to make a noise as instructed.

She did as she was told and played quietly while David fiddled around, often glancing out and hoping to see Moira. Wanting his babysitting duties to end, but also excited to confront her on her newfound drinking habits.

Moira finally arrived at the store. ‘What have you done with her?’ she announced. Looking around, she could see no trace of her little one. Moira was pleased to see the store was in the same state as she had left it. Lottie couldn’t have caused too much trouble.

‘Mommy!’ Lottie cried as she ran round to greet her mother.

‘Did you have a nice time with David and Patrick?’ Moira asked her as she picked her up and kissed her. Lottie gave her mother an unconvincing nod.

‘Lottie and I have had a great time,’ David smiled at his mother, ‘She let me into a little secret.’ He had gained a lot more from his time with Lottie than he ever thought he would.

‘And what was that?’ Moira tried to hide the unsettled nature of her voice. There were many things that Lottie could have accidentally or purposely unearthed to her brother.

‘That Mommy likes to drink wine while looking after Lottie,’ David did his best impression of his little sister’s voice. Moira looked closely at her daughter, trying to escape David’s gaze. She had only done it a couple of times, when the day had been especially long and she had been left alone with Lottie for the majority of it. She had never realised that her daughter had been watching her. She thought that she had hidden it well.

‘And why do you think that?’ Moira smiled sweetly at her son, trying to figure out when it was that Lottie had seen her do it. She had been careful to wash out her mug afterwards, she couldn’t have Johnny knowing. He would not be impressed.

‘Because Lottie told me,’ David beamed at her, pleased to show that he had interacted with his sister while she was in his care.

‘Well David, I don’t expect you to understand until you have children. I drank a lot more to see me through your juvenescence than I would ever do with Lottie,’ Moira pointed out.

‘If, I have children,’ David replied.

‘Have you told Sweet Pat that?’ Moira enquired.

‘We are still not doing Sweet Pat,’ David responded, annoyed that she was now trying to upset him as he had upset her.

‘We are today,’ Moira smiled as she picked up the bag of Lottie’s toys. ‘Please send Patrick my regards at looking after Lottie.’

‘Oh he didn’t do anything,’ David smiled at her, ‘I am happy to look after Lottie again, I'll see what other secrets I can uncover.’

‘In your dreams,’ Moira replied, elongating each word. ‘Say goodbye to your brother Lottie,’ Moira rotated round so that Lottie could wave at him from her hip.

‘Bye Lottie,’ David waved back, happy at how he had annoyed his mother.

Moira put Lottie down once they were out of harm's way from the store. They walked back to the Motel together with Moira wondering how she could persuade Jocelyn to skip rehearsal and look after Lottie, the next time that no one else could. She was sure she could persuade her somehow. The thought of how she was going to break David's revelation to Johnny was not one that she wanted to ponder quite yet.


End file.
